PV remains perfect with OT win

STROUDSBURG — Connor Phillips kept the game alive and Cole Bernier secured an unbeaten regular season for Pleasant Valley.

JOE MIEGOC

STROUDSBURG — Connor Phillips kept the game alive and Cole Bernier secured an unbeaten regular season for Pleasant Valley.

Phillips' goal with 51 seconds left in regulation sent the game into overtime, where Bernier scored with 22 seconds left to give the Bears a 4-3 victory over Stroudsburg in Mountain Valley Conference boys soccer at Ross-Stulgaitis Stadium on Thursday.

The Bears (18-0, 12-0 MVC) had already wrapped up the top seed and home-field advantage in next week's conference playoffs, but PV wanted to be perfect going into the tournament.

That was in serious jeopardy after Stroudsburg (14-3, 10-2) scored three unanswered goals in the second half, the last by Caesar Hernandez that put the Mounties in front with 6:42 left in the second half.

There would be no panic from the Bears, though, who stayed within themselves and kept pushing the ball into Stroudsburg's end of the field as they chased a perfect regular season.

Phillips gave the Bears extra life, gathering the ball in a pack of white and blue in front of Stroudsburg's goal for his ninth goal of the season. Bernier ended it with a goal off a perfect free kick into the box by Hako Beskovic, who scored PV's first two goals.

"Since I've been here I've instilled that attitude of never die and going to the last whistle," Pleasant Valley coach Chris Pachuta said. "You leave everything on the field and all of those other cliché ideas. Those two guys have been the heart and soul of this program and I'd go to battle with them any day.

"Both of them would give their lives up to make sure they scored those goals because as captains they want to keep the perfect season going."

It has been far from the perfect season for Bernier.

The senior has missed a large chunk of the year while dealing with a lower back injury. He had to sit on the sideline and watch his teammates pile up 10 victories, but not on Thursday. When the biggest moment of PV's season called he answered with the Bears' most important goal.

"After all the hard work we've put in and me being out with an injury, to get back and help my team feels amazing," Bernier said. "To come back stronger than ever feels great."

The Bears were feeling great early in the season half, but that all changed quickly.

Beskovic, who got the first goal 12:17 into the first half off a free kick, made it 2-0 when he caught up with a loose ball in the 44th minute. The good vibes didn't last long as Gabe Beebe scored into the upper right corner 21 seconds later before tying it on a penalty kick after PV was whistled for a dangerous play in the box with 30:40 left in the second half.

"Stroudsburg is a hell of a team," Pachuta said. "They're right with us. They were unfortunate with Northampton (a 2-1 overtime loss) at the beginning of the year and the two games between us were back and forth. These guys are fantastic."

The Mounties continued to control play as the second half played on and looked poised to hand PV its first loss.

Hernandez took a throw in from Beebe, found some room and put Stroudsburg in front with goal inside the near post with 6:42 remaining.

The Bears kept pressing on and as the clock ticked under a minute their persistence paid off. PV got off several shots inside the box before Phillips was finally able to put the ball in the net to tie the game and force overtime.

"It was crazy in there," Phillips said. "One of our players hit (the ball) and then we got a rebound shot and then another player hit it. I was just lucky to be in the right spot at the right time."